Emission Reporting Deadline Nears

January 16, 2018

The Egg Industry Center (EIC) reminds egg farmers of the ammonia emission estimation tools for pullet and laying hen facilities as the deadline to submit emissions reports nears on January 22.

The CERCLA (Comprehensive Emergency Response Compensation and Liability Act) reporting requirement stems from the U.S. Court of Appeals’ dismissal of the 2008 ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emission reporting exemption. Originally the exemption, granted by the EPA, excluded farms that house and raise animals from reporting ammonia and hydrogen sulfide released into the air as manure breaks down. In 2015, environmental groups petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals, and in 2017, the court abandoned the original exemptions. Therefore, the reporting of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions became required and the government and industry have been working on reporting guidance and clarifications ever since.

The EIC emission estimation tools, and any subsequent updates, reside on the center’s website, housed in the EIC Research Library under Environment. However, during this crucial time, links to the tools can be found on the top right on the center's homepage.

The tools include:

Layer Emissions Tool estimates the ammonia emissions based on housing type, inventory and manure storage system. (NOTE: Cage-free floor system barns with no manure removal system should use the high-rise housing style to calculate the emissions.)

Adding value to the U.S. Egg Industry by providing scientific information and data analysis to egg producers and processors, their associations, allied industry and today's data-minded consumers. The Egg Industry Center is administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University.